Comments on: Pre-Med Preparation: The Importance of Physician Shadowing http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/ An educational community for students and doctors spanning all the health professions. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:10:17 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: stevieee http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8893 stevieee Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:14:20 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8893 I personally think shadowing is ridiculous as far as how much some people do it. I personally think it boils down to who you know. Before I applied, I tried for months to try to shadow some docs where I live, problem is, the population in my community is VERY aware of their privacy rights (upper class area) so there was no hope even after calling 15+ offices looking for a positive response. Those kids you find that have something in the range of 100 to even 2000 hrs of physician shadowing, most of which may have been hanging out in the office or whatever most likely did so by getting hooked up with a family friend or relative and tell them, "Sure Ill let you go around the red tape and paperwork, just be quiet for the whole day while I deal with the patients". I really hope its not weighed too heavily.... I personally think shadowing is ridiculous as far as how much some people do it. I personally think it boils down to who you know. Before I applied, I tried for months to try to shadow some docs where I live, problem is, the population in my community is VERY aware of their privacy rights (upper class area) so there was no hope even after calling 15+ offices looking for a positive response. Those kids you find that have something in the range of 100 to even 2000 hrs of physician shadowing, most of which may have been hanging out in the office or whatever most likely did so by getting hooked up with a family friend or relative and tell them, “Sure Ill let you go around the red tape and paperwork, just be quiet for the whole day while I deal with the patients”. I really hope its not weighed too heavily….

]]> By: TeddyZobel http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8719 TeddyZobel Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:16:15 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8719 I am on the process of completing my applications for Graduate schools. In some of those applications, I am required to shadow a dosimetrist. Tens of calls have been placed so far and no one is willing to hepl. I am desperate as the deadlines are approaching. Findind a physician is so fustrating I wonder how people do to be admitted. I am on the process of completing my applications for Graduate schools. In some of those applications, I am required to shadow a dosimetrist. Tens of calls have been placed so far and no one is willing to hepl. I am desperate as the deadlines are approaching. Findind a physician is so fustrating I wonder how people do to be admitted.

]]> By: someone http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8540 someone Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:37:12 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8540 I think the article is great. For everyone who says shadowing is not necessary, how do you know you will like medicine? Without shadowing you will not know the day to day responsibilities of a physician. Yes clinical experience such as volunteering is great but from my personal experience...you end up doing bitch work which really has nothing to do with what physicians do. I think the article is great. For everyone who says shadowing is not necessary, how do you know you will like medicine? Without shadowing you will not know the day to day responsibilities of a physician. Yes clinical experience such as volunteering is great but from my personal experience…you end up doing bitch work which really has nothing to do with what physicians do.

]]> By: Mario http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8199 Mario Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:49 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8199 Just wanted to say thank you very much for this article. It was immensely helpful. After reading it I started searching for physicians near me and had to call about two dozen offices and hospitals before getting a bite, but I GOT IT! I live in New Jersey and one department of education in a hospital actually told me it was against state law for undergrads to observe doctors but that didn't stop me and now I'm shadowing every Monday for the whole day with the specialist of my choice. I'm enjoying every hour of it and I hope I can skip to another doctor in the same hospital and just keep shadowing right up until my med school application. Just wanted to say thank you very much for this article. It was immensely helpful. After reading it I started searching for physicians near me and had to call about two dozen offices and hospitals before getting a bite, but I GOT IT! I live in New Jersey and one department of education in a hospital actually told me it was against state law for undergrads to observe doctors but that didn’t stop me and now I’m shadowing every Monday for the whole day with the specialist of my choice. I’m enjoying every hour of it and I hope I can skip to another doctor in the same hospital and just keep shadowing right up until my med school application.

]]> By: Fadel http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8133 Fadel Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:22:03 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-8133 Hi, This has been a really interesting article . Thanks a lot you did a great favor for me of what to do in next summer . I'm going to second year of pre-med school but still I can catch up with the train I can't describe how happy I was while reading this a lot Hi,

This has been a really interesting article . Thanks a lot you did a great favor for me of what to do in next summer . I’m going to second year of pre-med school but still I can catch up with the train I can’t describe how happy I was while reading this a lot

]]> By: John http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7986 John Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:14:18 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7986 Mr. Becker; Very nice article. I have two follow up questions, what about the opposite plenty of shadowing but no research? Should an application be updated with more or loner time of shadowing than is on my original Amcas application. John Mr. Becker;

Very nice article. I have two follow up questions, what about the opposite plenty of shadowing but no research? Should an application be updated with more or loner time of shadowing than is on my original Amcas application. John

]]> By: Jen http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7387 Jen Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:06:40 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7387 I think this is very insightful article. However, truthfully, it's pretty hard to find a doctor that will let you shadow him/her. I found one once before, but it took nearly 4-5 months just to schedule a time that he found appropriate. After that, I tried scheduling for another day and well...I'm still waiting for a response. I think this is very insightful article. However, truthfully, it’s pretty hard to find a doctor that will let you shadow him/her. I found one once before, but it took nearly 4-5 months just to schedule a time that he found appropriate. After that, I tried scheduling for another day and well…I’m still waiting for a response.

]]> By: Patty http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7214 Patty Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:32:55 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-7214 Hello Mr Christian Becker: Please contact me ASAP!!! I'm having a SERIOUS issue with your website... it is URGENT!!...Please contact me .. Thanks, Patty Hello Mr Christian Becker:

Please contact me ASAP!!! I’m having a SERIOUS issue with your website… it is URGENT!!…Please contact me ..

Thanks,
Patty

]]> By: Stephanie http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-6319 Stephanie Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:24:14 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-6319 I read this article last night and have been thinking about it ever since. I wanted to say that I am 1. glad this article is posted and 2. glad to see from some of the comments that shadowing is hard to obtain and may not neccesarily be as "crucial" as it is made out to be. I am 28 years old and completing the required prerequisites for med school as my second (and last) career. I've been stressing about how to obtain shadowing experience because I've run into doctors who will not allow it because of HIPPA. I decided to try an alternate route of volunteer experience, but it's not the same as shadowing and the areas that you can volunteer in do not really give you access to doctors. Don't get me wrong, the volunteer experience is good, but trying to observe a doctor to determine if you are interested in said field doesn't happen while volunteering. With any career, you don't find out what it is like until you actually begin to work in that area. Watching someone do a job vs. doing it yourself are two different things. I read this article last night and have been thinking about it ever since. I wanted to say that I am 1. glad this article is posted and 2. glad to see from some of the comments that shadowing is hard to obtain and may not neccesarily be as “crucial” as it is made out to be.

I am 28 years old and completing the required prerequisites for med school as my second (and last) career. I’ve been stressing about how to obtain shadowing experience because I’ve run into doctors who will not allow it because of HIPPA. I decided to try an alternate route of volunteer experience, but it’s not the same as shadowing and the areas that you can volunteer in do not really give you access to doctors. Don’t get me wrong, the volunteer experience is good, but trying to observe a doctor to determine if you are interested in said field doesn’t happen while volunteering. With any career, you don’t find out what it is like until you actually begin to work in that area. Watching someone do a job vs. doing it yourself are two different things.

]]> By: Adam http://www.studentdoctor.net/2008/03/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-4061 Adam Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:22:54 +0000 http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/#comment-4061 This is a very encouraging letter; however, I see it as a bit misleading. This gives the impression that you can easily set up a shadow with any doctor with little to no effort. I tried this (with 7 doctors). I had everything set up with them. They said I could do it, all I had to do was fill out a little paperwork. The THREE hopsitals each individually contacted me and said that I was not allowed to do shadow any of the doctors because of HIPPA. I then went to several private practices in hopes of getting around all this. They too gave me the same answer. Talking with doctors in both public and private practice, I was told that it would be very difficult to near impossible to find shadowing opportunities because of HIPPA. All in all, HIPPA is a not a pre-med students friend. It prevents them from shadowing as much as they would like. This is a very encouraging letter; however, I see it as a bit misleading. This gives the impression that you can easily set up a shadow with any doctor with little to no effort. I tried this (with 7 doctors). I had everything set up with them. They said I could do it, all I had to do was fill out a little paperwork. The THREE hopsitals each individually contacted me and said that I was not allowed to do shadow any of the doctors because of HIPPA. I then went to several private practices in hopes of getting around all this. They too gave me the same answer. Talking with doctors in both public and private practice, I was told that it would be very difficult to near impossible to find shadowing opportunities because of HIPPA.

All in all, HIPPA is a not a pre-med students friend. It prevents them from shadowing as much as they would like.

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